Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd has been honored as a Navratna by the Indian Government, as announced by the Department of Public Enterprises. This prestigious recognition comes as GRSE, a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU), has successfully constructed and delivered a remarkable 118 warships to the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard in its 65-year history. Among these, 80 warships have been commissioned by the Navy, with the most recent additions being INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray, handed over on March 30, 2026, and set for commissioning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 21 in Kolkata.
The elevation to Navratna status, approved by the Department of Public Enterprises in February this year and subsequently endorsed by an apex committee, empowers GRSE to undertake significant investments independently, facilitating enhanced competitiveness, joint ventures, and accelerated expansion. This development is timely as GRSE is in a phase of expansion, aiming to concurrently build 28 ships of diverse classes, with plans to increase this capacity to 32 in the near future. Additionally, the shipyard has ventured into the global shipbuilding market, currently engaged in the construction of 12 multi-purpose vessels for a German firm.
In a notable move towards sustainable practices, GRSE has excelled in green shipbuilding by delivering a zero-emission, electric ferry to the Government of West Bengal, marking the largest such vessel in operation in India. Furthering its commitment to eco-friendly initiatives, GRSE is also in the process of constructing 13 hybrid diesel-electric ferries for the West Bengal government. Since its establishment as a DPSU in 1960, GRSE has been at the forefront of indigenous shipbuilding, exemplified by the delivery of INS Ajay, India’s first indigenous warship, to the Navy within a year of its inception. Presently, GRSE is actively involved in the construction of nine warships, including the advanced guided missile frigate INS Vindhyagiri, along with 30 other platforms, including research vessels.
